Jonathan Tullett

After a snatched bowl of cereal for dinner (I was running really late!), I headed down to Bromley Civic Centre for the weekly lesson.

Sandra returned this week, instructing the level2s. She should be back for good now, which is great!

The lesson didn’t start so well – looking around, there were 9 guys and 3 girls; cue concerned looks from a couple of the guys who had the same experience a couple of weeks previously.

We went through some footwork so Sandra could see what standard people were at before moving onto partner work. During this footwork, Deborah leveled-up 4 more girls from the beginners class. Excellent!

We started the choreography, looking at cross body w/men’s left turn, lady’s right, exchange position, two handed lady’s right. Straight forward stuff.

Sandra was in a difficult position this class. 50% of the people had been to many of the lessons (at this level) and are competent in the above moves (and many others), but in the last two of weeks, six or seven beginners have moved up, and most of this is new to them. The obvious options are:
1. Cater for the new arrivals.
2. Target the more experienced people, and have the new people struggle (and possibly get disheartened).

The decision was made to go for option 1, which meant the new people were challenged, and the others weren’t (but everyone got to dance!) Despite finding the class very easy, I think it was the right choice – it won’t take long for the new people to get up to speed, and then we have a fully populated class where everyone’s of a similar standard – a win for all. As the girls rotated, I suggested to some that they attend the level 1.5 class at 1930 which will help them get up to speed quicker. I think at least some of them will.

Roll on next week.

Yesterday, our usual salsa lesson had been taken over; we were to be taught Bachata instead.

While people who had danced it before were taught by some guest dancers (trying to find their names from old emails, but failing), the beginners were to be taught by Imogen.

Imogen was my first contact in Salsa. When I was looking for a teacher, a Google search came up with her. She wasn’t in a position to take on personal clients, so pointed me in Mark’s direction. The rest, as they say, is history :). She’s also always behind the deck on Tuesday. This meant that until last night I had never, ever, seen her dance. I was beginning to wonder if she could…

Anyway, the lesson was packed. I estimate around 40 people in the beginners class, and roughly equal numbers of men/women; a good crowd.

We learned the very basics: side stepping, back and forward, and a couple of turns (the ‘basket turn’, and a 360 to the left and right (for both) and a 360 alternating m/w led by the man), putting them together into a routine.

Despite a few wrong footings, I got most of what was being taught. It was fun.

The music they had playing, compared to the salsa, has more bass. And I enjoyed it more (perhaps that’s a throwback from the years of clubbing to doof doof?), though the dancing has far too much wiggling for my liking :)

It was commented, again, that I never hang around for social dancing afterward, and I used the same, ‘it’s my work’ excuse. That’s true, but there’s hesitation in asking work for an occasional late start due to lack of confidence in my dancing abilities. In a classic catch-22, it’s almost certainly the practicing which will build the confidence. I need to do something about that.

Oh, and yes, Imogen can dance, and do a decent closed-partner hold when 4+ months pregnant. Impressive.